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Text by 
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BOSTON 

LOTHROP, LEE f, SHEPARD COMPANY 

^935 

d ^ ^ 




Copyright, 1935, by 


/ 


LOTHROP, LEE AND SHEPARD COMPANY 

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be re¬ 
produced in any form without permission in writing 
from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes 
to quote brief passages in connection with a review 
written for inclusion in magazine or newspaper. 


Published September, 1935. 


O 



86364 




PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
BY THE JERSEY CITY PRINTING COMPANY 



1935 







Q& GJ V* t 























1. PETER’S FAMILY 

Once there was a 
little boy named 
Peter. He lived in 
a big yellow house. 










































Peter had a tall father with dark hair, and a tall 
mother with light hair, and a baby sister with almost 
no hair at all. They lived in the big yellow house with 
Peter. 


He had a nurse called Nanny. She took care of him 







































and of the little baby sister. He had Bessie. She 
cooked his breakfast and dinner and supper, and 
Mummy’s and Daddy’s breakfast and dinner and 
supper. Nanny and Bessie lived in the big yellow 
house, too. 

He had a little yellow bird, and a black-and-white 
dog, and a brown bunny. 




































The little yellow bird’s name was Dicky. He lived 
in a cage in the dining room window. 

The black-and-white dog’s name was Terry. He lived 
in a kennel beside the garage. 

The brown bunny’s name was Hoppy. And he lived 
in a little house under the tree in the back yard. 

Peter loved his family very much. Daddy and 
Mummy and Baby and Nanny and Bessie, and Dicky 
and Terry and Hoppy, were his family. He loved 
them all. 




























2. THE CLOCK IN THE HALL 




In the hall of Peter’s big yellow house there 

% 

was a tall clock. It had a deep voice that told the 
hour with a boom-boom-boom. 

Peter thought that the clock was trying to talk 
to him. He liked to sit on the stairs and listen 
to its tick-tock, tick-tock. 

















































At last he thought he knew what it said in its 
booming voice. When he first awoke in the morning, 
the clock was striking seven. Peter was sure that it 
said, “Time for boys to jump from bed.” 

He did jump from bed. Soon he forgot all about 
the clock. There were many things to be done out of 
doors. 

Before he could do half of them, Nanny would be 
calling him in to dinner. 

The tall clock would be saying: 

“ Wash your hands, wash your face, 

Comb your hair, take your place! ” 

When the old clock spoke next, it said just, “ Come! ” 
That was one o’clock, nap-time. 

Nanny told him that an hour later it said, “ Sleep 
tight! ’ ’ But Peter did not hear it. 

He woke up in time to hear it say, “ Hop up, Peter! ” 
That was three o’clock, playtime. 

He did not often hear it again until play was over. 
Then the tall clock boomed six, “ Peter, Peter, come 
to your supper!” 

When the clock struck again, Peter was not always 


glad to hear it. At night seven o’clock meant, “ Time 
for boys to be in bed.” The day’s fun was over. 

To-morrow the tall clock would say the very same 
things to him. 

Peter thought he liked best to hear it at noontime, 
when it talked the longest. Then dinner was ready 
to put on the table. Then the old clock was saying 
to a hungry boy: 

“ Wash your hands, wash your face, 

Comb your hair, take your place!” 











3. JACK-O’-LANTERNS 


One day it was getting dark. Peter looked out of 
the living room window. 

He saw something very strange coming across the 

lawn. It had a round head, with two big eyes and 

a nose and a mouth. The eyes and the nose and 

the mouth all looked as if thev were made of fire. 

%/ 

Peter was not afraid. He knew that the strange 
thing was a jack-o’-lantern. 

He ran to call Mummy. Peter wanted her to see 
it, too. 

When he came back, he heard a rap-rap-rap and 
a tap-tap-tap on the dining room window. Peter 
ran in to see what it was. There, looking in at the 
window, were two jack-o’-lanterns. 

After a little while Peter heard a noise in the living 
room, boo-oo-oo, boo-oo-oo. He turned around to see 
what it was. 

There, looking in at the window, were three jack-o’- 
lanterns. They all had big eyes and noses and 
mouths. And the eyes and noses and mouths all 
looked as if they were made of fire. 



When Peter’s supper was ready, he went up to the nursery. 
There, sitting on the shelf, was a big jack-o’-lantern. It had 
shining eyes, and a shining nose, and a shining mouth. 

It was still there when bedtime came. 

Peter went to sleep in his little white bed. By and by he 
began to dream that the jack-o’-lanterns were chasing him. 
They ran and they ran, but Peter was not afraid. 

He only laughed and said, “ I am not afraid of you. You 
are nothing but pumpkins after all.” 

Then Peter woke up, and it was morning. 

The jack-o’-lantern was still sitting on the shelf, but its 
eyes and nose and mouth did not 
shine any more. The candle inside 
had gone out. It was just a 
pumpkin after all! 



4. THE WHITE KITTEN 


One day Peter’s father brought him a little white 
kitten. She wore a bell on a ribbon around her neck. 

When she walked, the bell said, “ Ting—a—ling—a 
—ling—a—ling.” When she ran, it said, “ Ting-a- 
ling-a-ling-a-ling. ’ ’ 

One day Peter came into the house. He called, 
“Kitty, kitty, kitty!” 

But the white kitten did not come. 

Very faintly he could hear, “ Ting—a—ling—a—ling 
—a—ling, miaow, miaow.” 

Peter went upstairs. He looked into Mummy’s room. 
But the white kitten was not there. 

He could hear a little louder now, “ Ting—a—ling 
—a—ling—a—ling, miaow, miaow.” 

He looked into the nursery. The white kitten was 
not there. 

A little louder still he could hear, “ Ting—a—ling— 
a—ling—a—ling, miaow, miaow.” 

Peter looked into Nanny’s room. The white kitten 






























was not there, but still louder he could hear, “ Ting— 
a—ling—a—ling—a—ling, miaow, miaow.” 

Peter looked into the bathroom. The white kitten 
was not there. 

Quite loudly now he could hear, “ Ting—a—ling—a 
—ling—a—ling, miaow, miaow.” 

Peter opened the door of the linen closet. 

“ Ting-a-ling-a-ling-a-ling! ” The white kitten ran 


out and rubbed against Peter’s legs. 

“ Miaow, miaow,” said the white kitten, as if she 


































































5. IN THE WOODS 


On a bright sunshiny day in November, Peter went 
with his Daddy for a walk. 

Daddy walked with long, slow steps, like this. 

Peter walked with short, quick steps, like this. 

They walked and they walked, with their long, slow 
steps and their short, quick steps, until they came to 
the woods. 

Then they walked with their long, slow steps and 
their short, quick steps, until they came to the middle 
of the woods. Their feet made a crackling sound. 

Peter looked in front. He could see nothing but trees. 

He looked in back, and he could see nothing but trees. 

He looked at this side, and he looked at that side, 
and he could see nothing but trees. 

He looked up, and there he saw the branches of the 
trees. They were bare, and the sun was shining 
through them. 

He looked down. Under his feet were the leaves 
which had fallen from the trees. 

They were lying all about on the ground. There 
were red leaves, and yellow leaves, and brown leaves. 




























































They made the scuffling sound when Daddy and Peter 
walked with their long, slow steps and their short, 
quick steps through the woods. 

Suddenly Peter saw a tree which was still green. He 
said to his Daddy, “ What kind of tree is that? ” 

“It is a pine tree,” said Daddy. “ Pine trees stay 
green all winter. So do some other trees. They are 
hemlock trees, and fir trees, and spruce trees. We call 
these trees evergreens. Perhaps one of them will come 
to you at Christmas, and be your Christmas tree.” 

So Peter and his Daddy walked back with their short, 
quick steps, and their long, slow steps. 

They walked through the red leaves, the yellow 
leaves, and the brown leaves, and made a crackling 
sound with their feet. 

They walked along to the edge of the woods. 

Peter looked in front, and far away he saw the 
houses of the town where he lived. 

He looked up, and there was the blue sky. 

He looked to this side and to that side, and there 
were fields. 

He looked back, and there were the trees. 

“ Daddy,” said Peter, “ may we go to the woods 
again some day? ” 
























































6. THANKSGIVING TIME 


One day Peter’s Mummy said to him, “ Peter, you 
are going to Grandmother’s for Thanksgiving.” 

“ Are you going, too? ” asked Peter. 

“ Yes,” said Mummy, “ I am going.” 

“ Is Daddy going? ” asked Peter. 

“ Yes,” said Mummy again, “ Daddy is going, and 
Baby and Nanny.” 

“ And Dicky and Hoppy and Terry? ” asked Peter. 

“ I am afraid not,” said Mummy. “ There won’t 
be room for them all in the car.” 

Peter was troubled. “ But who will give Dicky his 
bath and his breakfast of seeds? Who will feed Terry, 
and play with him? Who will take Hoppy his carrots 
and oatmeal? ” 

“ Do you think Jimmy would do it? ” asked Mummy. 
“ Jimmy is a nice boy, and he lives just next door.” 

“ Is Bessie going away, too? ” asked Peter. 

“Yes,” said Mummy, “ Bessie is going to see her 
mother. She will take Dicky with her, because the 
house will be cold. But Terry and Hoppy can stay 
in their own little houses, if Jimmy will feed them. Do 
you think he would? ” 



Peter ran over to see Jimmy. 

“ Are you going away for Thanksgiving? ” asked Peter. 

“ No,” said Jimmy, “ we are going to have company. 
All my uncles and aunts and cousins are coming.” 

So Peter asked Jimmy if he would take care of Terry 
and Hoppy. Jimmy said he would. 

Suddenly Peter remembered something. He ran to 
Mummy. 

“We forgot the white kitten!” he cried. “What 
will the white kitten do? ” 

“ If you would like it,” said Mummy, “ I think the 
white kitten could go with us. 














So Bessie took Dicky, and Jimmy cared for Hoppy 
and Terry. 

The white kitten went in a square green basket. 

Every time she moved the little bell said, “ Ting— 
a—ling—a—ling—a—ling. ’ ’ 

So Peter and Daddy and Mummy and 
Nanny and Baby and the white kitten 
spent Thanksgiving at Grandmother’s. 

They all had a very happy time 


.TUT i 

in, 




‘r* 




















































7. PETER AND THE WIND 

When Peter awoke one morning, 
he heard a sound like this, 

“ Whoo-oo-oo.” It sounded as if > 
it were in the chimney. 

“ Who’s whistling in my chim¬ 
ney? ” asked Peter. 

“ Whoo-oo-oo, whoo-oo-oo? ” 
said the wind. 

Peter climbed out of bed and 
ran to look out of the window. 

He saw the trees swaying, swaying , 
back and forth. V 

“ Who’s bending the trees? ” ( 

cried Peter. —. 1 






























































































“ Whoo-oo-oo, whoo-oo-oo? ” said the wind. 

After breakfast Peter put on his hat and coat and 
went to the door. He saw a piece of paper going all 
by itself up the sidewalk. 

“ Who’s pushing that paper? ” asked Peter. 

“ Whoo-oo-oo, whoo-oo-oo? ” answered the wind. 

Then Peter stepped out. 

Just as he went around the corner, his hat came off. 
It went rolling over and over across the yard. 

Peter ran after it. On and on went the hat. 

“ Who’s stealing my hat? ” cried Peter. 

“ Whoo-oo-oo, whoo-oo-oo? ” said the wind. 

Peter’s hat rolled against the fence, and Peter picked 
it up. He put it on very tight. 

“ 1 know,” he said. “ I know who is doing all these 
things. It’s you, Mr. Wind.” 

But the wind kept right on saying, “ Whoo-oo-oo, 
whoo-oo-oo? ” all the rest of the day. 



8. TIPTOE 


It was very dark out of doors. Supper was all over. 

The clock struck seven. Peter knew what that 
meant, “ Time for boys to be in bed.” 

He was all ready. He jumped in and lay still. 
To-night was a special night. 

Nanny tucked him in. She turned the light low 
and went out. 

Mummy came in to kiss him. Peter gave her an 
extra squeeze. This was a special night! 

Then Daddy came in. Peter gave him an extra 
squeeze, too. It was the most special night of the year! 

Daddy turned the light quite out and went away, 
shutting the door tight. 

Peter listened. He thought he heard Mummy go 
a-tiptoe down the hall. 

Then he knew that he heard Daddy go a-tiptoe down 
the hall. Daddy’s tiptoe was not so soft as Mummy’s. 

After a long time he heard the front door close. 

After another long time his own door opened, and 
there was Nanny. She was turning on the light. 

“ Are you ready, Peter? ” asked Nanny. 



Peter jumped out of bed. He put on his bathrobe 
and slippers, and tiptoed over to Nanny. 

Together they opened the lowest drawer in the 
bureau, and took out an armful of packages. 

Together 

they 

went 


a-tiptoe 


down 


stairs. 

















































In the living room stood a tall tree. It was like the 
ones Peter had seen in the woods, still wearing their 
green coats. Peter had helped to dress it for Christmas 
Day. The light shone on the tinsel and the bright 
colored balls. 

Peter put his packages on the tree one by one. He 
tucked them in as far as he could. He had presents 
for all his family, even for Dicky and Hoppy and 
Terry and the white kitten. 

When Nanny was not looking, he took a square 
box from the drawer of Mummy’s sewing table. He 
tucked it far out of sight among the branches. 

Daddy and Mother would never guess that he had 
put his presents on the tree himself. How 
they would be in the morning! 


































When they had finished, Nanny turned out the light 
in the living room. 

Peter went on tiptoe up the stairs. He tiptoed 
across the room and crawled into bed. 

Nanny came tiptoeing in behind him. She tucked 
him in again and left him alone in the dark. 

He was very happy. 

After a little while he heard voices singing in the 
cold winter night: 

“ Away in a manger, 

No crib for his bed.” 

Peter smiled and went to sleep. To-morrow would 
be a special day, too! 


















9. CHRISTMAS DAY 


“ This is Christmas Day,” said Peter. 

No one heard him. Every one else was asleep. 

'* This is Christmas Day,” said Peter again. He 
liked the sound of the words. They made him 
glad. 

He thought of how pleased all his family would 
be with the presents he had put on the tree for 
them. 

At last the tall clock spoke in its booming voice: 

“ One two three four five six seven.” 

“ Time for boys to jump from bed.” 

The special day had begun. 

Soon all Peter’s family were up. 

Daddy and Mummy and Nanny and Bessie said, 
“ Merry Christmas! ” to Peter and to each other. 

Peter said, “Merry Christmas!” to them, and to 
Baby and Dicky and Hoppy and Terry and the white 
kitten. 






Then he ran to take down his 
stocking from the fireplace. It 
was all humpy with things inside. 

“ Breakfast is ready,” said 
Bessie. 

Peter was glad again. After 
breakfast they would have the 
Christmas tree. 

All the family came into the 
living room. Mummy had said 
that they might, even Hoppy in 
his own little house. 

Daddy pulled down the shades 
to make it dark, so that the 
red and green lights on the tree 
would show. 


v 



































Terry ran around the tree and barked. 

Hoppy tried to hide in the corner of 
his pen. 

Dicky tucked his head under 
his wing and went to sleep. 

The white kitten played 
with the corner of the rug. 

The pets did not know that 
it was Christmas Day. 

Daddy began to take the 
gifts from the tree. 

There was something for 
Mummy, and something for 
Peter and for Baby. 

There were gifts for 
Daddy and Nanny 
and Bessie. 

“ This present is 
for Hoppy,” said , 

Daddy. 













Peter ran to take it. He took off the paper. Inside 
was a head of lettuce. Peter put it into Hoppy’s pen. 

Hoppy came out and began to munch the lettuce. 
His nose went wiggle, wiggle. He forgot to be afraid. 

“ Here is something for Terry,” said Daddy. 

Peter ran to take that, too. He lifted the cover 
from the box. Inside was a rubber ball. Peter rolled 
it along the floor. Terry ran after the ball. He took 
it in his mouth and shook it. 

Daddy found more gifts for Mummy and Baby. 

He found more for Peter and Nanny and Bessie. 

He found some for himself. 

“ Now, here is a 
present for Dicky,” 
said Daddy. 

Peter opened it. In¬ 
side there was a new 
swing for Dicky’s cage. 
Peter opened the door 
of the cage and put 
in the swing. 

Dicky hopped down 
on to it. He cocked his 























































































head first on one side and then on the other. He 
began to sing. 

“ Well, well,” said Daddy, “ the white kitten was 
not forgotten. Here is something for her.” 

“ I’ll take it,” said Peter. He untied the box. 
Inside there was a catnip mouse. Peter put it down 
in front of the white kitten. 

The white kitten smelled of it and licked it. She 

* 

ran round and round very fast. Her little bell said, 
“ Ting-a-ling-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling-a-ling. ” 

“Now every one has had something,” said Peter. 

He sat down on the floor and began to play with 
his new toys. 

Bessie went out to the kitchen to start the dinner. 

Baby crawled around and looked at everything. 

Hoppy ate his lettuce. 

Terry lay down with his ball close beside him and 
went to sleep. 

The white kitten played with the ribbon and bright 
colored papers. 

Daddy and Mother and Nanny sat watching. 

Dicky sang a happy song. 

“ This is Christmas Day,” 
said Peter. “ This is a nice 
Christmas Day.” 



10. ALL ABOARD! 



Peter was buttoning his new coat. He had on his 
best suit and his shiniest shoes. 

“ Too-too! Too-too! ” called Mother. “ All aboard 
for the station! ” 

Peter picked up his new hat and ran to the top of 
the stairs. 

“Ding-dong, ding-dong!” answered Peter. “All 
aboard for the station!” 

Peter was very much excited. He 
was going to have a ride on the train. 
He had ridden on a train only once 
before. 

He was going to the city, too. He 
had not been there since he was a baby. 
That made him even more excited. 

Daddy and Mummy had told him 
many things about the city. 

They had talked about the trains 
that ran under the ground, and the 
trains that ran on a bridge high over 
the people’s heads. 











They had said that in the city there were tall houses 
with hundreds of windows. 

There were great stores, too. In them you could 
buy everything — things to eat, and things to wear, 
and things to play with. 

Peter was so excited that he wanted to run down 
the street. 

At last they came to the station. 

There were people waiting. 

There was the baggage man with his truck full of 
boxes and trunks to go on the train. 

There were the long shining rails. 

But there was no train. 

Peter hopped up and down and wished it would 
come. 

Too-too! Too-too! 

“It’s coming, Mummy, it’s coming!” cried Peter. 

In a moment he could see the engine with its black 
smoke, coming down the track. Slower and slower it 
came, dragging the long cars behind it. 

At last it stopped at the other end of the station. 

The conductor came down the steps of the last car, 
and Peter and his mother climbed on. 


“Too-too! Too-too!” said Mummy. “All aboard 
for the city! ’ ’ 

“Ding-dong! Ding-dong!” cried Peter. “All 
aboard for the city! ’ ’ 

He scrambled into a seat and pressed his face against 
the window. 

“Ding-dong! Ding-dong!” went the great bell on 
the engine. 

The train began to move. 

Peter and Mummy were on their way. 


















































11. AWAY UP AND AWAY DOWN 

The train moved slowly — slowly — slowly — 

The people stood up and walked toward the door. 

The brakeman put his head in and shouted some¬ 
thing. 

Peter pressed his face against the window again. 

The train stopped. • 

Outside the people began going by very fast. 

There were men with red caps, and men riding on 
trucks. 

There was another train full of people just across 
the walk. 

Peter knew that this must be the station in the 
city. It was much bigger than the one at home. 

“Come, Peter,” said Mother. “We will go right 
to Aunt Laura’s house;” 

They went out into the crowd. 

At home Peter walked by himself, but here he was 
glad to take hold of Mother’s hand. 

They went into a big room with many more people, 
and then up some long stairs. 

Peter tried to see everything. He looked from side 
to side as fast as he could. 






Once he fell up the stairs 
because he was trying to 
see something behind him. 
After that he gave up look¬ 
ing, and followed Mummy 
through a gate that turned 
round and round. 

Then they went into a 
train that did not seem to 
have any engine. The door 
shut behind them, and the 
train began to move. 

“ Doesn’t this train say 
ding-dong? ” asked Peter. 

“ No,” said Mother. 
“ This is a different kind 
of train. Look out and 
you will see what kind 
it is.” 

' 























Peter looked out. The train came out into the 
sunlight. 

“Mummy!” he cried. “I can see right over the 



roof of a house! ” 

“ Keep on looking,” said Mummy. 

Peter kept on looking. 

The train went on running up in the air. 

Then they began to go down, down, down. 

Suddenly Peter could see only a dark wall. He 

































looked through the windows on the 
other side of the train. He could see 
only another dark wall. On the walls 
were high-up lights that winked at 
him. 

“We are in under the ground! ” he 
cried. “ We’ve been away up and now 
we’re away down. Away up and away 
down! ’ ’ 

The train stopped. The doors opened 
all by themselves. 

Peter and Mummy got out. 

The doors shut, and the train moved 
away, down the dark tunnel. 

“ How do we get up on top of the 
ground again? ” asked Peter. 

“ Up the stairs, step by step,” said 
Mummy. 

And so they went, step by step, up the 
stairs and out into the sunlight. 

Peter blinked. It was very bright 
after the dark subway. 

Peter blinked again. He had never 
seen such large houses before. 

He was in the city at last. 


<©8T 











































12. THE TALL HOUSE 


Aunt Laura, Mummy and Peter were walking down a street. 
It had tall houses on each side. 

Each house had rows and rows of windows. They looked like great 
eyes staring. They looked like Peter’s eyes trying to see everything. 

“ How many windows are there in your house, Aunt Laura? ” 
asked Peter. 

Aunt Laura stopped. “ Why, Peter, I don’t know how many 
windows it has. I never counted them. We can soon find out. 
We are almost home now.” 

“ Which is your house? ” asked Peter. “ They all look alike.” 

“ The one on the next corner,” answered Aunt Laura. 

Peter ran on ahead until he came to the side of Aunt Laura’s house. 

He looked up and up. He could hardly see the top. What a 
lot of eyes it had! 

He began to count. “ One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, 
eight, nine, ten, in the first row.” 

“ One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, in the 
second row.” 

“ One, two, three — ” 

Mummy and Aunt Laura came along. 

“ Have you found out? ” Mummy asked. 

“ There are ten in the first row,” answered Peter, “ and ten in the 
second row. I’m counting the next row. Will you add them for me? ” 




'I——* 

1 



1/ « 

1 




















































































































“You tell us how many rows there are,” said Aunt Laura. “ Then 
we can tell the number of the windows without counting them all.” 

So Peter began to count the rows. That was harder because he 
had to look so high. 

“ One, two, three, four, five, six, rows,” he counted. “ Six rows! ” 

“ Six rows of windows, and each row has ten windows in it,” said 
Mummy. “ That makes six times ten windows, or sixty windows, 
on the side. Have you counted the front? ” 

Peter ran around to the front 

“ One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, 
in the first row.” 

“ One, two — ” 

“ I think all the rows will be the same, Peter,” said Aunt Laura. 
“ Sixty windows on the side, and sixty-six windows on the front. 
That makes one hundred and twenty-six windows. Some day we 
will find out how many there are in the back.” 

Peter sat down on the step to think. 

He had had one hundred cents once. That was a dollar in pen¬ 
nies. He remembered what a long tail they made on the rug. 

Just think of living in a house with more than one hundred windows! 

“ Aunt Laura, do you have to wash them all? ” he asked. 

Aunt Laura laughed. “No, dear, there are only ten windows 
in my apartment.” 

Peter felt glad. “ Let’s go in so I can see,” said Peter. 



13. PETER GOES HOME 

Peter slept three nights in Aunt Laura’s house with 
more than one hundred windows. 

He rode up and down in the elevator. 

He bought a box of paints in a big store. 

He had a dish of ice cream at dimier. 

He saw the traffic lights turn yellow and red and 
green. 

He rode again on the away-up and the away-down 
train. 

Then it was time to say good-by. Peter went with 
Mummy to the big city station and climbed aboard 
the railroad train. 

Now they were almost home. 

Peter was going to tell Nanny about the elevated 
and the subway and all the other things. 

He was going to paint a picture of Aunt Laura’s 
tall house. 

He was going to play some new games. 

He was a little tired now. 

“ Did you have a good time, Peter? ” asked Mother. 

“ Yes, Mummy,” said Peter sleepily. 

He sat with his face pressed against the window. 


The poles rushed by. The houses and churches and 
barns rushed by. 

There was a song in the wheels, “ Going-home-a- 




























































going-home-a-going-home.” The wheels sang Peter to 
sleep. 

He did not hear the bell saying, “ Ding-dong, 
ding-dong.” 

He did not know that the train was slowing down, 
thumpity-bump, thumpity-bump. 

It stopped. 

Peter woke up and looked out of the window. He saw 
his father come across the platform and into the train. 

They all got out together and walked home. 

They went up the path to the . big yellow 
house. 

Boo-woo-woo! Terry came tumbling down from the 
porch and jumped around Peter. Terry was glad to 
see them. 

Click-click! Nanny opened the door and hugged 
Peter. Nanny was glad to see them. 

Ting-a-ling-a-ling-a-ling! The white kitten came 
running down the stairs and rubbed against Peter’s 
legs. She was glad to see them. 

Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom! The tall clock was 
saying, “Glad you have come home.” 

Peter was glad, too. 




14. FIVE YEARS OLD 

When Peter woke up, he could just see the hobby¬ 
horse in the corner. He knew it was morning. Was 
it going to be a cloudy day? 

The tall clock was striking, “ Time for boys to 
jump from — ” The booming voice stopped. 

It was not seven o’clock after all. 

Peter wondered why he was awake so early. Then 
he remembered. It was his birthday! 

Perhaps that was what the clock had meant to say, 
“ Peter is five years old to-day.” 

He could not sleep any more. 

After a while he crept out of bed and ran softly to 
the window. The sky was pink. It looked like the 
frosting on a birthday cake. 

There would be five candles on his cake this year. 
Peter found his bathrobe and slippers. He closed the 
window and sat down again. 

He saw a man go by with his lunch box on the way 
to work. 

He saw Terry come out of his house and stretch 
and run off down the road. 

He heard the rooster crowing in Jimmy’s yard. 







He could see the top of the sun. 
It looked like a great red ball 
behind the hill. 

“ Good-morning, sun,” said Peter. 
‘ ‘ I am five years old to-day! ’ ’ 

The sun did not answer. Peter 
knew it could not. 

Then a voice said, “ Good¬ 
morning, son! So you are five years 
old to-day! ” 

That was Daddy at the door. 
Peter knew Daddy was speaking 
to him and not to the great red 
sun behind the hill. 

Daddy picked him up and held 
him high in the air. Then he set 
him down. 

“ Do you look any different to¬ 
day? ” asked Daddy. 

Peter turned all the way around 
so that Daddy could see him 
better. 

“ No,” said Daddy. “You don’t 






















































look any different. Are you any 
taller to-day? ” 

Peter ran to stand up against the 
wall where his measuring marks were. 

Daddy made a new mark. ‘ ‘ A half 
inch taller than the last time,” he said. 

“ Are you any heavier to-day? ” 

Peter ran into the bathroom and 
stepped up on the scales. 

Daddy followed him. “ A half 
pound heavier than the last time,” 
said Daddy. 

He smiled. “ Are you any older 
to-day? ” 

“Yes!” said Peter. He ran to 
hug Daddy’s knees. 

Peter was happy. He was taller, 
and heavier, and older. 

It was a very special day! 














15. THE BIRTHDAY CAKE 


Peter drank his orange juice. 

He wished that birthday cakes came at breakfast. 

Then he had a thought. “ This is ice cream,” said 
Peter. 

It was really oatmeal, but Peter was playing make- 
believe. 

Soon the oatmeal was all gone. 

“ This is birthday cake with yellow and white 
frosting,” said Peter. 

It was really a dropped egg on toast, but Peter was 
still playing make-believe. 












Soon the egg and toast were all gone. 

“ This is lemonade,” said Peter. 

It was really milk, but Peter was pretending. 

Soon the milk was all gone. 

“ May I please be excused? ” asked Peter. 

“ Yes, Peter,” said Mother. “ Would you like to 
give Dicky his bath and breakfast all by yourself, now 
that you are five years old? ” 

“ Oh, may I? ” asked Peter. 

He spread a big paper on the table by the window, 
and brought all the things he needed. He had often 
helped Mother do it, so he knew just how to begin. 

He brought Dicky’s little white bathtub full of water. 

Then Dicky took a big bath. He splashed water all 
over the table. 















He filled Dicky’s little dish with seed. 

He put a clean paper on the bottom of the cage. 

He gave Dicky some sand, and some fresh water to drink. 

“ I can take care of you all myself, now that I am 
five years old,” said Peter to Dicky. 

Dicky hopped up onto his perch and began to eat 
his fresh seed. 

Peter went out to the kitchen. Bessie was mixing 
something in a big bowl. Peter wondered if it were 
birthday cake. 

“ The white kitten is hungry,” said Bessie. “ Would 
you like to give her some breakfast? ” 

Peter poured some milk into a saucer and gave it 
to the white kitten. Her bell said very softly, “ Ting— 
a—ling—a—ling—a—ling,” while she drank the milk. 










“ I shall give you your breakfast every morning, 
now that I’m five years old,” Peter said to the white 
kitten. 

The white kitten kept right on drinking. 

Peter went out into the yard. 

Hoppy stood up in his little house and pressed his 
nose against the wire. 

Peter looked into the little house. Hoppy’s food 
was all gone. 

Peter ran to get a carrot. He pushed it through 


























































the wire. Hoppy began to gnaw the carrot. 

“ I guess I won’t forget to feed you any more, now 
that I’m five years old,” said Peter to Hoppy. 

Hoppy kept right on eating. His nose went wiggle- 
wiggle. 

Peter sat down on the back steps. He smelled a 
very nice smell. He thought it might be birthday 
cake. 

Terry came and put his nose against Peter’s knee. 



WM 

M, 







He wanted to play. 

Peter and Terry played together for a long time. 
Then Terry lay down to take a nap. 

Peter made birthday cakes in the sand. 

Each one had five candles. 

Nanny opened the nursery window. “ Peter,” said 
Nanny, “ it’s time to get ready for dinner.” 

Peter hurried. He was ready on time. 

Dinner was very good. Peter ate everything that was 
on his plate. 

Bessie took away the dishes. When she came back, 
she set something in front of Peter. 

It was pink, just like the pink sky in the morning. 
It had five candles: 

“ Happy birthday, Peter,” said Mother and Daddy 
and Nanny all together. 

“ Thank you,” said Peter in a loud voice. 

He did not have to play make-believe any more. 
This birthday cake was real. 


















16. A RAINY DAY 


It was raining hard. The raindrops ran down the 
windowpane, and down the windowpane, until Peter ' 
was tired of watching them. 

Mummy sat by the table, sewing. Her needle went 

7 

in and out, in and out. 

“ Peter,” said Mummy, “ I am thinking of something ^ 
round and red. Guess what it is.” 

Peter thought hard. “ My ball? ” said Peter. 

Mummy clapped her hands. “You tell me one 
next,” she said. 


!■<) 































































“ I am thinking of something shiny and sharp/’ 
said Peter. “Now you guess.” 

“Is it my needle? ” asked Mummy. 

“ Yes,” said Peter. 

“ I am thinking of something that runs on four 
feet,” said Mummy. “ What do you think it is? ” 

“The little white kitten,” guessed Peter. “I am 
thinking of something that runs on four wheels.” 

“ Daddy’s car,” said Mummy. “ I am thinking of 
something that has four legs but cannot run.” 

“ Your chair,” guessed Peter. 

“ No,” said Mummy. 

“ The table,” guessed Peter again. 

“ Right,” said Mummy. 

Peter stopped to think. “ I know something that 
has two legs but cannot walk.” 

“Oh,” cried Mummy, “your baby sister!” 

The tall clock in the hall began to boom-boom-boom. 

' ‘ I know something that smells good, and looks good, 
and tastes good,” said Mummy. 

“Dinner!” shouted Peter. And he ran to “wash 
his hands, wash his face, comb his hair, and take his 
place.” 


17. SPRINGTIME IN MOTHER’S GARDEN 



It was springtime. 

Peter liked to sit on the steps in the warm sun¬ 
shine and look at Mother’s garden. 

He heard the trees whispering. Perhaps they were 
talking about their fat new buds. 

He saw the tulips bending toward each other. Per¬ 
haps they liked each other’s pretty colors. 

, He heard the birds twittering. Maybe they were 
I talking about the nests they were going to build. 

“ They are all doing something for spring,” thought 
Peter. “ What can I do for spring? ” 




















































After a little while he said to himself, “ I know, I will write 
a little song.” 

So Peter sat on the steps in the warm sunshine, and made up a 
song. It was a little hard to get the tune and the words just right. 

Mother came out and sat down beside him. 

“ I’m writing a little song for the spring,” said Peter. 
“ It doesn’t go just right. Will you help me, Mummy? ” 

“ Sing it to me, Peter,” said Mummy, “ and I will try to help.” 

Peter sang his little song. 

“ That is nice, Peter,” said Mummy. “ All you need to 
do is to end it this way.” Mummy sang the little song. 

Then she and Peter sang it together. It went like this: 




So they sat on the steps in the warm sunshine. 

The trees in the garden whispered together. The tulips 
bent their heads. The birds twittered. Peter sang his little 
song! 

And everything in Mother’s garden was glad. 


























































18. THE FAMILY PICTURE 

The sun shone on the big yellow house where Peter 
lived. 

All of Peter’s family had come out to sit in the 
sunshine. They were going to have their picture 
taken. 

The man who was going to take the picture looked 
at Peter’s family. 

He saw Peter’s tall Daddy, with his dark hair, and 
Peter’s tall Mummy, with her light hair, and Peter’s 
baby sister, with almost no hair at all. 

He saw Nanny, who took care of Peter and of Baby. 

He saw Bessie, who cooked their breakfast and 
dinner and. supper. 

He saw the little yellow bird named Dicky, and the 
black-and-white dog named Terry, and the brown 
bunny named Hoppy. 

He Saw the little white kitten with the bell on a 
ribbon around her neck. 

He told them all where to sit. 

Then he looked into his camera and did something 
with his hands. 




















































































































The camera made a soft clicking sound. 

“ All done,” said the man. 

Peter thought how nice it would be to have a picture 
of all his family. 

He turned around to look at them all. Peter looked 
at Daddy and Mummy and Baby and Nanny and 
Bessie, and at Dicky and Terry and Hoppy and the 
white kitten. 

“You are my family,” said Peter. “ I love you all.” 






























































































































































































































































































































































































































































































